This task was a bit obscure; it popped up and flickered for a while, but no one had taken it yet.
Soon, a new task refreshed and pushed it down.
Jiang Ying thought for a moment and accepted the task.
The Youbing Sparrow was not a fierce spirit beast; they lived in ordinary dense forests. Because their feathers were flame-colored and they liked to come out at night, they were called "Youbing Sparrows." Youbing Sparrows often carried small stones in their beaks to build their nests. These small stones not only glowed, but also possessed certain medicinal value, and were known as "Youbing Sparrow stones."
However, these Youbing Sparrows were elusive and very hard to find. Even if one found them, the little creatures were extremely alert and clever, so following them to find their habitat took a tremendous amount of effort.
This task required meticulous work. For a true expert, it was like using a butcher's knife to slaughter a chicken, but classified under low-level tasks, the reward was only a piece of medium-grade purple spirit wood, which wasn't very cost-effective. After all, everyone hoped to get spirit stones quickly, so it was no wonder no one had taken it for quite a while.
On the contrary, tasks like harvesting spirit beast claws and horns, or digging out the hearts and lungs of spirit beasts, were snapped up in no time.
Although purple spirit wood wasn't top-tier, it wasn't a bad option as raw material for refining small puppets during a transitional period.
She knew how to catch a Youbing Sparrow. Aside from eating small insects, these little creatures actually loved eating "Youyi grass" and "Suoyi grass." These two types of grass were not precious herbs, but Suoyi grass grew in water, and Youbing Sparrows rarely got to eat it.
A story was written in *Anecdotal Notes*: One year during a severe drought, the river dried up, and large patches of Suoyi grass were exposed on the riverbed, attracting a large number of Youbing Sparrows to peck and eat them. Consequently, hunters caught numerous Youbing Sparrows, plucked nine hundred and ninety-nine feathers, and wove them into a feathered cloak. That cloak was brilliantly red and full of layers, fulfilling a certain employer's special demand for a "colorful red," so later generations called this feathered cloak the "Youbing Nine-Bird Cloak."
When Jiang Ying was collecting herbs earlier, she happened to acquire a bundle of Youyi grass and a bundle of Suoyi grass.
She stood up and was just about to call Xiao Fensi to leave when the Yulingtong in her sleeve suddenly vibrated. Pulling it out, she saw it was from Xiao Di.
"Senior Sister, are you and Xiao Fensi both in the Mirage Tower?"
Xiao Di was panting, his voice extremely anxious.
"Mm, what happened?"
"That's great! Senior Sister, you must keep an eye on Xiao Fensi and not let her run away! I'm coming right over!"
With quick eyes and a swift hand, Jiang Ying grabbed Xiao Fensi, who was squatting by the table and trying to sneak away, and said leisurely,
"Xiao Fensi, where are you trying to run off to?"
Xiao Fensi flailed her short legs, looking crestfallen, and pressed herself firmly against the table corner, refusing to come over.
"I don't want to go back and take medicine!"
"Take medicine?"
"It's bitter, so bitter! It makes me want to throw up!"
Xiao Fensi let out an exaggerated retching sound from her throat, but stopped midway.
A hand reached over and grabbed the rabbit ears on her head.
Xiao Di appeared behind her with a dark face.
"Well, well, Xiao Fensi, you actually wanted to run away again! Let's go, time to go back and drink your medicine!"
With that, he hoisted Xiao Fensi up, casually plucked the candied hawthorns she was carrying on her back, held them in his hand, and slung Xiao Fensi onto his back with one arm.
"You little brat, you are not allowed to make Senior Sister spend money on you anymore!"
Xiao Fensi muttered grumblingly, "Stinky Xiao Di, you're so fierce."
Jiang Ying smiled faintly.
"It didn't cost much anyway, as long as Xiao Fensi likes them."
Xiao Fensi fiercely poked Xiao Di on the head.
"Hmph, Big Sister still spoils me, unlike you, who only knows how to be fierce to me, fierce to me!"
Xiao Di asked in confusion, "Didn't Senior Sister say she was short of money earlier?"
Jiang Ying's eyes curved into smiles. "Being short of money is one thing, but I'm not short of money for a few candied hawthorns."
Xiao Di nodded and didn't ask further. Anyway, whatever Senior Sister said was right.
"Then I'll take you to have a look at our family's shop."
"I just took a task..."
Xiao Di: " Huh?"
"Didn't Senior Sister say she was 'slightly' interested in the Seven Kills Roll? How come you've already accepted a task so quickly?"
"Junior Brother, do you know where there is a small grove nearby?"
Xiao Di was shocked.
"Senior Sister is going to beat someone up in a small grove?"
That shouldn't be right; Senior Sister was a model disciple of the Academy, how could she do such a thing?
Jiang Ying: "......"
Did the Academy bully beat people up so often that his little head was filled with nothing but these bloody brawls?
"Just doing a task to catch some little sparrows."
Xiao Di nodded. "It's not far from my shop, I'll take you there."
The two of them walked out together.
On Xiao Di's back, Xiao Fensi kicked her legs wildly, waved her hands about, and holstered at the top of her lungs,
"Stinky Xiao Di, put me down!"
Xiao Di used one hand to subdue the still-gesticulating Xiao Fensi.
Jiang Ying pondered slightly. "I just heard that Xiao Fensi is sick."
Mentioning Xiao Fensi's illness, Xiao Di immediately lowered his voice.
"Xiao Fensi's illness is very strange. Senior Sister, please don't be scared when you hear about it."
"Oh? Is it congenital deficiency, a lack of the Five Elements, or perhaps—cretinism?"
Xiao Di looked at Jiang Ying in confusion.
"How does Senior Sister know about it in such detail?"
Xiao Fensi poked her head out from his back.
"Stinky Xiao Di, I told Big Sister. Big Sister just said it, I'm not sick!"
Xiao Di was even more puzzled.
"Senior Sister also knows the art of healing?"
"I know a little."
In her past life, she had read many books and papers on elixirs and medicine. Having seen so much, treating ordinary ailments was a piece of cake for her.
Even if it weren't an ordinary ailment, she had seen Xiao Fensi's "case" in her past life; it was a total breeze.
As for Xiao Di, after spending an evening with Jiang Ying, he had gradually begun to understand—Senior Sister was a modest person who always downplayed everything.
She said she "slightly" knew how to bargain, and ended up handling Old Qian, the most difficult and stingy man in the West Market; she said she was "slightly" interested in the Seven Kills Roll, and before you knew it, she had already accepted a task!
So when she said she "slightly understood" medicine, Xiao Di understood immediately: she must understand it profoundly!
His Senior Sister was truly extraordinary!
Xiao Fensi lifted her head, wailing and gesticulating wildly.
"Big Sister, save me, save me! That medicine is too bitter! I don't want to drink it anymore!"
Xiao Di pinned down her unruly feet, hoisted her higher up on his back, and gave a low bark.
"Xiao Fensi, stop making a fuss!"
Xiao Fensi looked at Jiang Ying with a wronged expression, her dark, round eyes almost squeezing out two tears. Jiang Ying patted Xiao Fensi's head and winked at her. Xiao Fensi immediately understood: Big Sister must have a brilliant plan!
She obediently shut her mouth at once, blinking her eyes and looking at Jiang Ying with full expectation.
Jiang Ying contentedly patted Xiao Fensi's head; this child was truly as clever as snow and caught on instantly.
What she wanted to find out most right now was who had examined Xiao Fensi over the years, what prescriptions they had given, and whether there was any chance they were spies sent by the Guanghua Sect—although according to the timeline of her past life, Xiao Fensi being captured by Elder Wugao and taken to the Guanghua Sect wouldn't happen until decades later.
However, since it concerned Xiao Fensi's life, she still needed to get to the bottom of it.
"I just heard Xiao Fensi say that many doctors have examined her over the years. What kind of people were they?"
"At first, it was those native doctors in the Ghost Market, but they couldn't cure her."
"Then whose prescribed medicine has she been taking recently?"
"A traveling doctor."